Charles e



(No Model.)

C. BS'GRIBNER. TOLL BOX PQR TELEPHONES.

Patented Deo. 29, 1896..

RA L mix/4 UNITED STATES i ATENT Eflrricn.

CHARLES E. SCRIBNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE TESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

TOLL-Box Fon TELPHONES.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 574,046, dated December 29, 1896. Application filed May 14, 1896. `Serial No. 591,521. (No modelJ To @ZZ whom, t may concern.:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. SCRTBNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illi- 5 nois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Toll-Boxes for Telephones, (Case No. 417,) of which the followingisafull, clear, concise, and exact description. reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

ro forming a part of this specification.

My invention is a locking device for coinreceptacles of telephone toll-boxes designed to be controlled or operated from the central station with which the telephone-line is con- 15 nected.

It consists in the combination ,with the coinreceptacle, of a lock, an electromagnet or other electrically-actuated appliance controlling the lock, and circuit connections between 2o the line and the electromagnet at the substation and between the line and suitable appliances at the central station,by the agency of which an y. operator at the central station may determine or prevent the actuation of the 2 5 lock at the substation.

The invention contemplates also locking mechanism adapted for release'by the usual key or other device in cooperation with the electromagnet.

3o The utility of this invention in telephoneexchange practice is twofold. It gives security against the opening of the coin-receptacles by unauthorized persons, and it necessitates in the collection of the coins cooperation be- 3 5 tween the collector and an operator or chief stationed at the central office, thus serving as a check for the chief upon the movements of the collector.

The invention is illustrated in the accom- 4o panying drawings;

In the drawings, Figure l represents the usual apparatus of a telephone toll-station connected by a telephone-line with signaling apparatus in a switchboard at a central oiiice.

45 The coin-receptacle of the tol1-boX is provided with locking mechanism in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the form of locking device shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 shows another form of locking mechanism, the apparatus being shown in elevation with a partial section. Fig. 4C is a sectional view of the toll-box on line ir of Fig. 3, showing in plan from beneath the locking mechanism represented in Fig. 3.

In the form represented in Fig. 2 the lock- 55 ing device consists of a key-lock d of ordinary construction and an electrically-controlled lock b. The latter appliance comprises a catch Z9', carried on a pivoted lever b2, an armature bs, fixed to the lever, and an electro- 6o magnet b4, acting upon the armature. Both locks d and Z9 may be mounted upon the door c of the toll-box or coin-receptacle. The latch a' of lock a and the latch b' of the electricallycontrolled lock l) are adapted to engage re- 65 cesses d and d', respectively, in the body of the box when the door is closed. Obviously the latch a' maybe disengaged from its catch in recess CZ by means of a suitable key in lock d., or the latch b may be disengaged from its 7o catch bya sufficient current through the magnet b4; but in order that the door of the box may be opened both appliances must be simultaneously actuated. f

In associating this device with a telephone- 7 5 line the system of circuits represented in Fig.

l may be employed. In that figure the usual telephone appliances are represented at a substationa belle, a generator of signalingcurrent f, a transmitting-telephone g and a re- 8o ceiving-telephone h,and a switch ,controllin g the connection of these instruments with the line-circuit. The wires l and 2 of the line extend to a central station and are connected there with a spring-jack 7o and an annuncia 8 5 tor l, both of `well-known forni.

The toll-receiving box minay be located near the telephone. The terminals ofthe lockcontrolling magnet h4 are connected by wires 3 and et with the line conductors l and 2 of the 95 telephone-line. A switch n is preferably interposed in these conductors for the purpose of disconnecting the magnet from the telephone-line when the latter is in use for conversation. 9 5

At the central station the attendant at the switchboard is provided with a plug o, adapted for insertion into the spring-jack k. The

conductors of the plug may be connected with the usual listening-key p for bringing the oproo erators telephone q into the circuit of a tele- The plugcircuit is connected phone-line.

also in this invention with anotherl key o', which is adapted, when its switch-springs are forced outward by the operation of the key, to loop abattery s or other source of current into a bridge of the plug-circuit, and thus into the circuit of the line.

Obviously under ordinary circumstances access to the coin-receptacle cannot be had oven with the aid of the key for lock a. Neither can the operator at the central station, by connecting lier plug with the line and looping the battery s into the circuit, release the door of the toll-box. In the process of collecting the coins, however, the collector must obtain connection with the operators telephone and must instruct her to apply the battery s to the telephone-line in order that the electric lock may be operated. Then the collector must place the switch n in position to bring magnet b into connection with the line and must turn the key in lock ct. Thus the toll-box cannot be opened Without the cooperation of the collector at the substation and the operator at the central station. If desired, the means of applying the battery s may be under the charge of a chief collector at the central station, who may be thus kept informed of the movements of the toll-collectors.

Figs. 3 and l represent a form of locking mechanism in which the electricallycontrolled portion and the key-controlled portion are more closely related to each other than in the preceding form. In the contrivance illustrated in those figures the latches c and ZJ engage each other directly. The ranges of movement of the two latches are such that the Withdrawal or retraction of either alone will not bring about their disengagement from each other. Thus if the latch b be retracted by the excitement of the magnet controlling it it will still remain in engagement with the latch d', or if the latch a be withdrawn by means of thc key, the latch b' remaining unmoved, the parts will still be in engagement. When, however, the latch a is retracted by means of the key and the latch U is at the same time withdrawn by the excitement of its magnet, the two parts release each other and permit the door to be opened.

mechanism, but involves generally a lock or releasing device controlled jointly by a part adapted to be electrically operated from a central station and a part constructed to be manually operated at the substation.

I therefore claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- l. The combination With the telephone and the telephone-line thereof at a toll-station, of the toll-box or coin-receptacle, an electricallycontrolled locking device for the toll-box connected With the telephone-line, a spring-jack or socket for the line at a central station, and means for connecting therewith a source of electric current to release the said locking mechanism, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the toll-box of a `telephone-line, of locking mechanism therefor controlled by a manually-actuated part and an electrically-actuated part jointly, said electrically-actuated part being connected with the telephone-line, and means for connecting with said line a source of current to operate said electrical part, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the toll-box of a telephone toll-station, of a manually-controlled lock for the said box, an electricallycontrolled lock for the boX connected with the telephone-line, a source of current at a central office of the line, and means for connecting the source of current with the line to actuate the said electrically-controlled lock, as described.

ln witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 7 th day of April, A. D. 1896.

CHARLES SCRIBNER. Vitnesses:

ELLA EDLER, LUcILE RUSSELL. 

